FAQ for Landlords

Private providers of apartments and houses in Munich are subject to a minimum rental period of six months. The city of Munich considers rental periods of less than six months to be a misuse of living space, which is why we only broker apartments and houses for at least half a year or longer.

Commercial providers such as serviced apartments, on the other hand, are not allowed to rent for longer than 6 months in many locations. Thus, we distinguish between short-stay and long-term offers.

In the Lake Tegernsee region, private providers are also allowed to rent for shorter rental periods and thus we can offer furnished rentals here for as little as one month.

Most of our clients will come to Munich for project-based work and only stay for a limited amount of time, arriving with just their suitcase. They expect modern equipment, complete furnishing and a kitchen equipped with tableware, cutlery, pots, pans, kettle as well as other home items such as bedding, towels, vacuum etc. If possible, the apartment should have a washing machine or a washer-dryer. The technological standard is just as important: cable or satellite TV, DVD player, stereo system and a high-speed internet access. An inventory list is available on request from our landlord's advisory service.

We recommend you provide an internet/Wi-Fi-access with at least 50 Mbit/s if possible. Fast internet is a very important decision criterion for prospective tenants. The provision of fast internet therefore makes it easier to let. Apartments without activated Internet/WLAN are virtually uninteresting for all prospective tenants. Unfortunately, the liability issue is not absolutely clear in these cases. So far, there have only been few irregularities among the large circle of landlords who offer internet. In the few cases that are known to us, the tenants have assumed liability. Our rental agreements all contain an internet usage liability clause.

We recommend a high-speed internet connection via M-Net. M-Net is the only provider with which you can conclude an Internet contract without a telephone. A telephone connection is rarely requested by prospective tenants. If the apartment has cable-TV you can add internet connection via kabel-deutschland.de or pyur.com.

Customers rarely ask for one. It is certainly more convenient for tenants to have a landline in their home, but it is rarely an exclusion criterion.

On request Mr. Lodge will gladly arrange and carry out handovers and returns of your apartment or house. A comprehensive protocol is created with the help of our in-house app. You can either cover this service with our comfort package, or alternatively book individual services.

You can dowload the oder form for additional services here:

• 1-room apartments
• 2-room apartments and bigger properties

Mr. Lodge is the contact person for tenants and landlords throughout the rental period and can help with language barriers or act as a neutral mediator.

If desired Mr. Lodge will arrange final cleanings. We work closely with over 10 cleaning companies. The organization of the final cleaning is included in our premium package.

You can order this service as an individual service:

• 1-room apartments
• 2-room apartments and bigger properties

We work  in close cooperation with over 10 cleaning companies.
Maintenance cleanings can be ordered by the tenant directly and will not be organized through Mr. Lodge.

Our qualified interior designers are happy to offer you their support: from photo-friendly decoration to the complete new furnishing of your apartment / your house. You can find an overview of the entire range of services here.

Our technical service team helps with small repairs, maintenance works or any larger damages to the property. We coordinate repairs and provide assistance so that you do not have to worry about anything.

High-quality photos and videos are vital in an optimal presentation and successful brokering of your property. We also emphasize a uniform presentation of all our apartments and houses. All photos and videos are taken by specialists at Mr. Lodge with only the latest and professional photo and video equipment. Unfortunately, we cannot accept photos or videos by other parties.

The costs are part of the Mr. Lodge service package and there are no additional costs for taking photos and videos. More information can be found here.

Quite often the property is still occupied by a tenant or the Landlord themselves during the photo appointment. However, your apartment/house should appear as neutral as possible. Make sure that your property looks inviting: fresh flowers are always a nice welcome gesture, the beds should be made and personal belongings should not be visible if possible. More information can be found here.

• Property owners
• Tenants who have permission to sublet.
• Commercial providers

For furnished rentals, the following applies: You have a fully furnished apartment or house in the greater Munich area or in the Lake Tegernsee region.

For private providers in the Munich metropolitan area, the following applies: Your apartment or house is available for at least six months.

In the Lake Tegernsee region, private vacation home owners may also rent for short-term periods

Our client base mostly consists of people who come to Munich (or wider area) for professional reasons for months or years and have a temporary need. Many are highly-qualified specialists who work on projects for renowned companies on a project-by-project basis. These clients look for good to very good properties (1-room to 4-room apartments and houses). 

It is always the landlord who decides. If a client is specifically interested in your property we will contact you and give you the most important information in advance, such as the tenant’s background, intended rental period, whether they move in alone, etc. As the landlord, you decide for yourself who you enter into a contract with. Mr. Lodge will gladly assist you with your decision.

We are a member of the SCHUFA. When drawing up a rental contract we have been using the SCHUFA credit rating reports since 2011 – as far as possible or necessary. Additionally, we are a member of CREDITREFORM, the largest German business information agency. Our aim is to provide you with the highest possible level of security and we make every effort to find only reputable, solvent tenants for you. We screen prospective tenants and ask for tenant information. However, we can not offer you a guarantee. Mr. Lodge is not liable for any loss of rental income or damages.

• High returns

• As a rule, a higher return is to be expected for furnished accommodations. The investment in furnishing and equipment at the beginning will be offset in the long term by correspondingly higher rents. As a landlord, however, you can be subject to fluctuations in the housing market. The rent prices fluctuate depending on the economic situation. (Please see: determination of rental price)

• Your property remains available

• Tenants usually stay in Munich for project-based work, meaning that rental periods relatively short (in most cases 6 to 24 months). Your property remains available for sale or for personal use.

• Investment consulting

• If you are about to make an investment decision, it is helpful to contact us. Your contact persons: Norbert Verbücheln and Dietmar Schlüter, Tel. +49 89 340 823-44 We know the needs of clients in need of temporary accommodation. Mr. Lodge has served as a broker for several thousand apartments over the last decades.

Mr. Lodge is the contact person for both landlord and tenant during the entire rental period. If you are not in Munich (generally or temporarily) we will take care of all the tenant’s questions or concerns in consultation with you.
If there is a need for extensive counselling or should you need the help of our technical service team or our interior design team, we will charge our services after consultation with you. This can be the case with properties which, for example, have an above-average susceptibility to defects due to the age of the equipment (electrical appliances, furniture) or the age of the sanitary facilities.

What could be a problem in your home (examples):

•  TV/dishwasher is defective
  Remedy: repair or exchange for a new unit after consultation
• Smaller appliance (e.g. coffee maker) is defective
  Remedy: usually new purchase
• Water damage/ water pipe burst
  Remedy: emergency service/sanitation company, may require work from insurance company

With smaller repairs/replacement of small items or in emergency situations (e.g. water pipe burst) we usually decide immediately and pass on the effective costs to you or the contractor invoice goes directly to you. In the case of larger repairs, we will discuss the procedure with you in advance. Therefore, it is important for us that you can be reached easily. If you go on holiday, please let us know how we can reach you there or who will represent you during this time. The complete satisfaction of landlord and tenant is Mr. Lodge's top priority. Please understand, however, that we are not always able to meet this requirement in the case of very extensive wishes or work overload.

The tenant has to register radio and TV appliances and pay for them.  (https://www.rundfunkbeitrag.de)

to the landlord's account and is refunded to the tenant's account as soon as the apartment is returned. The landlords are legally obliged to pay back the deposit as soon as there are no more open or unsettled claims. The landlord is obligated to keep the deposit protected against insolvency.

This is the most common way when renting an unfurnished apartment. It is, however, more difficult with the shorter rental periods for furnished rentals. Often times, the tenant has to pay an additional small amount, e.g. cleaning costs. The landlord can only settle this amount via the savings accounts with a great deal of time and effort, or he issues the tenant with an invoice and hands over the savings account only after the invoice has been paid. After moving out of the apartment, the tenant is quite often no longer in Munich or Germany.

If the tenant is a company, this type of deposit is usually preferred or, in some cases, this is a condition for the signing of a rental agreement. The bank guarantee must be properly issued and have no immediate expiry date at the end of the lease. It becomes difficult if the tenant extends the lease several times. In this case, you must ensure that the bank guarantee is unlimited in time.

Preparing a transparent deposit settlement is one of the most important obligations of landlords:

Landlords must repay the deposit as soon as all claims have been settled. There is no general "waiting period" for the preparation of the settlement. All necessary information must be obtained promptly. Delaying the settlement and repayment without good reason is not permitted.

Repayment may be delayed if damages still need to be clarified or settled, or if invoices for damage repairs are not yet available.

Each item that you claim against the deposit must be substantiated both in terms of reason and amount (damage documentation and purchase receipts or invoices). The use of an Excel list or table has proven to be helpful in providing a clear overview of the settlement.

We recommend that you always inform your tenants promptly about the status of your settlement. This shows tenants that you are proceeding transparently.

(All the information provided here is for guidance on the practical steps of the deposit settlement and does not constitute legal advice).

Mr. Lodge mediates the rental agreement and is not liable for compliance with the rental contract agreement. The tenant is liable for damages caused by him to the apartment/house or its furniture and equipment.
As a precaution against damages, you as landlord take the deposit (generally two months’ rent). Please consult us if there is a dispute between the tenant and you regarding return of the deposit. We represent a neutral position.

As a landlord you can take out a commercial household insurance for your furnished apartment. Talk to your insurance advisor about this. Please note, however, that the insurance company is not liable for many types of damage, i.e. the insurance company does not pay in the event of damage (see below)

Liability insurance is recommended for the tenant. Here, too, the scope of liability is limited.

Inform the tenant of possible dangers during the apartment handover: e.g. water damages caused by the washing machine or mold infestation due to insufficient ventilation/heating of the apartment.